Kuwait has been a very progressive society even before 1961. People of all walks of life, be it foreign or local, came to Kuwait and called it home. When Kuwait declared independence in 1961, Emir Abdullah Al Salim Al Sabah helped drafted constitution that served as a starting point for Democracy in Kuwait, and certainly in the Arab World.

I suggest you look in the Kuwaiti Constitution, in Article 6:

Article 6
Kuwait's system of government is democratic; sovereignty is vested in the Nation as
the source of all authority; and the exercise of that sovereignty shall be as set out in
this Constitution.

This article GUARANTEES the democratic nature of the state. Also note in Article 7 of the constitution:

Article 7
Justice, freedom and equality are the pillars of society; and cooperation and
compassion are the firm link binding all citizens.

This further guarantees the right of Freedom to all Kuwaiti citizens. Kuwait is a prime example of a working progressive democracy in the Arab Middle East.

I thank my oppenent for conducting this debate. My effort for this debate is to clarify what Kuwait logically is, and why the government that Kuwait possesses is more beneficial. I offer the following terms:

Considered-think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision

democracy is a form of government in which the people decide policy matters directly--through town hall meetings or by voting on ballot initiatives and referendums.

A republic is a form of government or country in which power resides in elected individuals representing the citizen body and government leaders exercise power according to the rule of law.

The burden for pro is to manifest evidence that vindicates Kuwait's people are deciding upon issues through town halls or ballot initiatives. Kuwait should be classified as a republic, because repesentatives are the ones who wield power.

I wish I had time to debate this, but if you are referring to a substantive democracy, predicated on the metrics of the democratic index, Kuwait is definitely not a working democracy, if a democracy at all.